December 10: Owing to the pressure of several students' organisations, Mumbai university has reportedly decided to scrap the new internal assessment rule for this year.

Pro-Vice Chancellor, Naresh Chandra, however, told Express Newsline the university has taken note of the students' feedback. ``The issue of internal assessment will be tabled before the academic council meeting on December 16. The decision depends on the council only.'' But the university's senate member, Amarjit Singh Manhas, who had vociferously protested the hasty implementation of the 20% rule, is confident that the assessment will be scrapped for this year. The president of National Students Union of India, Sanjay Patil, who is also confident about the rule's suspension this year, said, ``In case it's not done, we will fight tooth and nail.''

D B Kadam, principal of Bhavan's College, Andheri, said, ``Thanks to this rule, at least twenty students from all big colleges are failing.'' He said he was told by the university that the matter will be reviewed shortly. Manhas said while the rule is ``welcome, it should have been introduced after sufficient notice to students.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.